MENDOTA – The pandemic the world is going through has forced everyone to adapt and change. Administrators at Northbrook Middle School refused to let the trying times we’re experiencing prevent them from recognizing the eighth-grade students as they put together a plan to honor them with an improvised commencement ceremony held on May 28 at Northbrook School.

Students remained in their family vehicles and then proceeded into the front driveway of the school after their names were read over a loud speaker. The vehicles then stopped just past the front doors to the school where they were presented with their diplomas by Superintendent Dr. Kristen School and school board president Sean Pappas, who were tucked safely under a tent to keep them dry from a steady rain.

This year’s award winners were:

Lilly Leifheit and Aubree Jones, Reed Rydberg Memorial Award; Madelyn Becker and Trekker Klema, American Legion Award; Eithun Atkins, James D. Hume Citizenship Award; Bria Frey and William Hall, John Ourth Award; Anabelia Ramirez, Jeanne McKenzie Student-Athlete Award; Jenah Sims, Scripts Regional Spelling Bee Champion.

Winners of 2020 President’s Education Awards were:

Gold – Eithun Atkins, Madelyn Becker, Kamdyn Becket, Emma Clark, Logan Dewey, Kylie Donovan, Nataliya Durbin, Bria Frey, William Hall, Bryan Herrera, Aubree Jones, Ava Jones, Lilly Leifheit, Emma Pierce, Roxana Ramirez, Karly Reel, Natalia Salinas, Jenah Sims, Jessica Terrazas, Grace Wasmer.

Silver – Kyan Cooper, Shanel Kerchner, Perla Lopez, Fredy Mandujano, Arman Miranda, Kenneth Mullins, Dimitri Rodriguez, Valerie Valdes, Naoemi Valencia, Phoenix Wilstead, Johnathan Wirebaugh.

The school board, administration and staff recognized retiring District 289 employees Amy Brewer, Doreen Chandler, Dion Christman, Laurie Joerger, David Knottnerus and Kelly Poremba.

Members of the Class of 2020 receiving diplomas were:

Samantha Allen, Anthony Arteaga, Ava Arteaga, Eithun Atkins, Connor Bailey, Paul Bailey, Jace Baird, Landon Bauer, Madelyn Becker, Kamdyn Becket, Edan Bell, Isaac Belmonte, Ella Betz, Angelica Botello, ReAnna Brant, Lillianna Caruso, Kimberly Cedillo, Samuel Christmann, Emma Clark, Alex Contreras, Kyan Cooper, Adam Davis, Beau Dearing, Logan Dewey, Araceli Diaz, Payton Diaz, Kylie Donovan, Nataliya Durbin, Olivia Eddy, Alexa Escatel, Henry Esparza, Logan Fahr, Angela Figueroa;

Joshua Figueroa, Mariah Figueroa, Alana Flood, Jose Frausto, Bria Frey, Jasmyn Garcia, Riley George, Vanessa Rico, Cecelia Guevara, Janet Guzman, William Hall, Lily Harrison, Ashley Hermosillo, Bryan Herrera, Aedan Holland, Kiara Johnson, Aubree Jones, Ava Jones, Shanel Kerchner, Kaleb Kleckner, Trekker Klema, Miguel Lakowske, Lilly Leifheit, Sylvester Lemos, Alexander Liden, Perla Lopez, Fredy Mandujano, Cassandra Martinez, Bridget McGann, Arman Miranda, Carlos Mora II, Julian Muller, Kenneth Mullins, Izaiah Nanez;

Noah Orozco, Xzavior Orozco, Brenda Palacios, Jose Payan, Emma Pierce, Anabelia Ramirez, Roxana Ramirez, Justin Randolph, Tristan Redcliff, Karly Reel, Hannah Rich, Dimitri Rodriguez, Natalia Salinas, Diego Sandoval, Omar Sandoval, Jacob Saylor, Luca Seibert, Dagen Setchell, Patrick Shan, Jenah Sims, Morgan Smith, Cale Strouss, Jessica Terrazas, Valerie Valdes, Naoemi Valencia, Grace Wasmer, Dominick Wehrs, Johnathan Wheeler, Christopher Wilmoth, Phoenix Wilstead, Johnathan Wirebaugh, Adrian Zarate-Diaz, Drake Zell.